Saints use speed to shut out Owls Saint Dominic winds up 14-4-1

HAMPDEN – Going into Monday’s Class C state championship game against Madawaska, the Saint Dominic of Auburn boys soccer team knew it would have to neutralize the Owls’ offensive speed.

The Saints countered Madawaska’s quickness with an even more fleet defense, allowing the Owls only six shots on goal in a 2-0 victory at the Weatherbee Complex.

St. Dominic, which won its first state title since 2001, finishes the season 14-4-1 while the EM champ Owls close out the campaign at 14-4.

The match remained scoreless until the 28th minute, when Matt Barlion pounced on a loose ball inside the penalty area and tucked it inside the near post.

Casey Parker gave the Saints some breathing room just before halftime, blasting a crossing pass from Dylan Roberts inside the far post past Madawaska keeper Nate Beaulieu.

“Jack [Erickson] passed it down to [Dylan] Roberts in the corner, he had a nice left foot one-touch cross to me at the far post and I two-touched it in,” Parker said.

St. Dominic took the Owls out of their game plan early, winning virtually every 50-50 ball and not allowing Madawaska’s forwards to play the ball in the air.

“I think the key for us was winning virtually every ball in the air,” Saints coach Matt Erickson said. “Just knocking the ball around, keeping possession, that’s the way we like to play.”

Erickson’s defense, anchored by sweeper Dan Ouellette and goalie Aaron Allen, kept Madawaska’s strikers at bay while their midfielders didn’t allow any deep penetration.

“We were interfering their control in the midfield,” Erickson said. “When we possessed the ball we were patient, got the ball around and made them chase a little bit.”

He added that once the Saints had a somewhat comfortable cushion at intermission, his defenders were able to get themselves into a groove.

“We always play well with the lead, we feel we can settle down and play our game,” Erickson said.

Coach Ben Sirois’ Owls had a rough time penetrating the Saints’ quick defense, and scoring chances were slim at best.

“I felt there were swings where we couldn’t penetrate through their defense,” Sirois said. “For the most part the ball got swelled up in the middle.

Sirois acknowledged Madawaska could not adjust to St. Dominic’s quickness.

“They’re fast, not only up front but in the middle and out back. We weren’t used to that speed,” Sirois said.

Beaulieu finished with six saves on 16 shots while Allen had two stops on six shots.